2 No School – Labor Day

3 PTO Meeting at 6:30 p.m.

4 Safety Day–Emergency Response Protocols

5-6 Outdoor Education (Fifth Grade)

10 Fall School Pictures Preschool-5th

12 Fun Run Preschool AM 10:30-10:55 & PM 2:30-2:55

13 Fun Run K-5--Parents are welcome to come up and cheer the students on as long as weather permitting we are able to be outside. We will be on the soccer field.

12:00-12:25 4th Grade

12:30-12:55 2nd Grade

1:00-1:25 3rd Grade

1:30-1:55 5th Grade

2:00-2:25 1st Grade

2:30-2:55 Kindergarten

13 Blue Sage Bash 5:30-7:30 PM

24-25 Parent-Teacher Conference 3:00-6:30 p.m. **2:06 Dismissal on Both Days

24-25 Book Fair

26 No School – Teacher In-Service

27 No School

Blue Sage Year Long Calendar of Events (Subject to Change)

For the most current information subscribe to our online calendar. You'll want to subscribe to both the Blue Sage & District calendars.

Dear Blue Sage Families,

It's September! I can't believe how fast the first few weeks of school have gone. Our students are settling in, making connections, and adjusting to their teachers and classmates. We truly are off to a great start!

During the first two weeks of school, Mrs. Bousema and I visited each K-5 classroom and reviewed our Standard Emergency Response Protocols: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter. Each one of these actions is followed by specific instructions. On Wednesday, September 4th, we will practice each of these protocols to ensure students know what to do in each situation similar to how we teach other routines and procedures, such as "Give Me 5" to the students. We will not walk to our evacuation site as a school. Instead, we will just evacuate outside of the building, but still on school property.

At the end of this month, we will have the opportunity for families and staff to collaborate and connect during parent teacher conferences. This partnership between school and home is critically important. What we know to be true is that parental support is important and positively impacts our students' achievements. We are looking forward to seeing you and connecting with you about your student's progress thus far in the first quarter. See the information below on how to sign up for a conference time.

Thank you for all of your support this year. I look forward to future conversations about your students' experiences and education here at Blue Sage. As always, feel free to email (achrist@epsne.org) or call me (402-332-0125) with any questions or comments.

Mrs. Christ

Blue Sage Principal

Blue Sage will be conducting parent-teacher conferences on Tuesday, Sept. 24th, and Wednesday, Sept. 25th. This is an opportunity to partner with your child's teacher and learn more about your child's progress in school. It is also a time to share your parental insights with the teacher. We hope that your meeting will be productive and provide you with a true understanding of your child's academic and social-emotional growth.

We will continue to utilize the online scheduler called Pick-A-Time. This is a first-come, first-serve scheduling system. The online scheduler will open on Monday, September 9th @ 10 AM and will close at 11:59 PM on Sunday, September 22nd.

Please open the attachment below for the directions on how to register for a conference time.

As was shared with all families in an email from Elkhorn Public Schools in early August, information regarding the resources utilized by Elkhorn Public Schools in the event of severe weather can be found at the link below.

EPS Severe Weather Protocols - August 2024 Letter to Staff and Families

Let's flip the script - creating a sense of "JOMO (that's Joy of Missing Out) encourages students to be fully present and embrace being in the here and now! Check out Screen Sanity for more helpful tips and remember the importance of modeling being where your feet are!

As was shared with all families in an email from Elkhorn Public Schools on July 24, updated cell phone and ceullular devices expectations will be implemented at all EPS schools for the 2024-25 school year. Links to our student handbook and the EPS email that was sent to families can be found below.

Elkhorn Public Schools Email sent to all EPS Families on July 24, 2024

Handbook Verbiage (found on page 8 of Elementary Student Handbook)

Cellular phones and devices, including cellular watches, are strongly discouraged at school to minimize distractions to the learning environment. The use of cellular devices is not permitted throughout the day. Students must keep the devices powered off in their backpacks or the office area, and they are to be used only after dismissal at the end of the day. If this procedure is not followed, the device will be kept in the office area and a parent/guardian may collect the device from the office.

The school administration and teachers encourage all to behave and dress in a fashion that reflects good taste and a style appropriate for a school day. The fact that a school will permit a wide variety in school clothes does not mean that all styles are equally appropriate. The final decision in those situations of disagreement will be resolved by the school administration after consultation with the student and parents/guardians. In addition to the above guidelines, the school administration will exclude the following items and/or method of grooming. This list is not inclusive of all items that will be excluded.

1. Clothing or articles which are soiled, torn or ragged

2. Articles displaying obscene or vulgar writing or symbols

3. Articles which could cause damage to other individuals or property (Example: chain belts, cleats)

4. See-through clothing

5. Bare feet/stocking feet

6. Hats, hoods, and sunglasses may be worn to school, but not in the building

7. Clothing which is too short, too tight, too revealing, or too bare as to be immodest. Clothing that bares the back/midriff or allows undergarments to be seen will not be allowed.

8. Underclothing worn as outer clothing

9. Dress which promotes, advocates, or advances the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs, including clothing which displays the logo or trademark of any brand(s) of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs.

10. Tank tops with thin spaghetti straps or halter tops where a bare back is displayed

11. Any items which would detract from the educational environment will not be acceptable.

Dress code violations will be addressed with students by counselors or administrators. When possible and appropriate, the administrator will contact the parent/guardian, present the problem, and seek their cooperation. If parents/guardians cannot supply appropriate clothing, the student will be given clothing to wear that day. Should such action include disciplinary action, state statutes and Board of Education policies will be followed.

Handbook Verbiage (found on page 16 of Elementary Student Handbook)

Every Friday is a school spirit day at Blue Sage. Wear your Blue Sage gear or our school colors (blue and green) to show your BEAR pride.

Starting September 6th, guardians will be able to receive email summaries about their student’s activity in Google Classroom. Guardians will receive an email invitation on September 6th and will need to accept the invitation in order to receive Google Classroom email summaries. When you receive the invite email and click the accept button, you will be taken to a page verifying your email address. Please make sure this is the email address you would like to use before clicking accept. If it is not the correct email address, do NOT click decline or accept, and see bullet number 3 under "Get email summaries" in this document Guardian Email Summaries - for Guardians.

You may not receive an invite email if you are still signed up from last year or if teacher(s) have not enabled email notifications in their Google Classrooms.

In email summaries, you can review:

- Missing work—Work not turned in when the summary was sent

- Upcoming work—Work that is due today and tomorrow (for daily emails) or that is due in the upcoming week (for weekly emails)

- Class activities—Announcements, assignments, and questions recently posted by teachers

- Email summaries do not include grades.

If there’s no activity to report, or if a teacher turns off email notifications, you might not get an email summary.

Please see this document for more information Guardian Email Summaries - for Guardians.

TeamMates of Elkhorn is currently seeking additional mentors to fulfill our waitlist! Mentors spend 30 minutes a week building a lasting relationship and creating a positive impact that lasts a lifetime. Please consider volunteering your time to meet the growing need for mentors across our District. Apply now by clicking here!

Additionally, visit Runza on Tuesday, September 17, and support your local chapter of TeamMates! 10% of all Runza sales at the 204th and Maple location will be donated back to our Elkhorn chapter.

Just a few reminders to help traffic flow smoothly and to keep our students and families safe!

• All drivers need to follow the rules and pull forward. Pulling forward is the key!
• Always use the crosswalk at the main entrance to cross traffic in the pick-up lane.
• Do not park on the street in front of the school, instead use the parent parking at the entrance of the school if you are getting out to drop off/pick up your child.
• If your child is unable to unbuckle/buckle him/herself, please practice at home. This is a skill he/she needs to be able to do independently.
• Students should enter and exit vehicles curbside.
• Please do not get out of your vehicle if you are in the pick-up/drop-off lane.
• Please be patient and be a positive role model for our children. These procedures are in place to help maintain a safe and respectful environment.
• Drive Slowly
• Stay off your cell phones

What: ONLINE School Directory (password protected)

Who: All Blue Sage Families

When: Sign up now! You can also wait until Open House.

Why: Teachers can not give out personal information. Find friends on the directory to invite to birthday parties and playdates and get invited to events!

Where: Click on the following link to sign up- https://www.runpto.com/pto/login?schoolid=bluesage&app=Student&hash=f899139df5e1059396431415e770c6dd

The elementary school (K-5) school day is from 8:15-3:06.

Before School: Breakfast is offered for all children from 7:35 to 8:00 every day and then students go to Walking Club. Students not eating breakfast may attend Walking Club at 7:55. Morning outside supervision starts at 7:55, so students not attending breakfast should not arrive before that time. A student that arrives at school on time is more likely to make the most of his/her day. Please make every effort to arrive on time.

After School: The dismissal bell rings at 3:06. Students should leave the building to go home upon dismissal unless specifically directed by a teacher to remain. There is no supervision after 3:20, so please make arrangements to have your children picked up by that time.

Arriving Late/Leaving Early: Students arriving late or leaving early must sign in/out at the front office. When a student leaves early, a parent must come into the office to sign his/her child out.

Parents are welcome to come to have lunch with their children during their lunchtime.

Parent Table Guidelines:

• Students are not allowed to have classmates join them at the parent table. This rule helps us maintain order and allows you to have quality time with your child during lunch.
• Siblings from other grade levels may also not join the parent table during your child's lunch period. Parents will need to return for the sibling's lunch time if they wish to have lunch with them as well.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. Thank you for your continued support!

To ensure the safety and security of our students and staff, all school doors will remain locked during the school day. Visitors can gain access through the main entrance using the security camera/access panel. Please follow these steps:

1. Request Access:

• Push the button on the security panel.
• Wait for the office staff to request your identification

2. Provide Identification:

• State your name and purpose for entering the school.
  

3. Enter the School:

• Once you hear the door unlatch, enter the school.
• Proceed directly to the office.

4. Enchanced Security with Sallyport System (NEW THIS YEAR): To further enhance our security measures, Blue Sage has installed a sallyport system in the main office. This controlled entry system ensures that visitors must pass through an additional layer of security before gaining access to the school. Please do not allow other individuals to follow you into the building. Piggybacking is a security breach that occurs when an unauthorized person gains access to a restricted area by following an authorized person.

5. Sign In:

• Sign in on the visitor sheet.
• Then you will be provided with a visitor badge.

6. Sign Out:

• When leaving the building, return to the office.
• Sign out and return your visitor badge.

Dropping Off Items:

If you need to drop off something that your child has forgotten, please bring it to the office, we will be happy to take it to your child. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us to minimize classroom interruptions.

Thank you for your cooperation in maintaining a secure and efficient environment at Blue Sage.

Invitations to birthday parties and other events must be distributed away from the school grounds to students for out of school parties according to District policy.

Birthdays are important milestones in each child’s life. At Blue Sage Elementary, we look forward to sharing in the student’s excitement over his/her own special day. Each morning birthdays will be read over the announcements and students will be invited to come to select a book from the office to keep. Summer birthdays will be announced on the student’s ½ birthday to ensure each student enjoys this special recognition during the school year.

If you would like to send a special treat or token for your child to pass out to classmates, please send only NON-EDIBLE tokens or treats to school. For example, your child could provide each student with a pencil. Classroom teachers may also offer other suggestions. This decision has been made with considerable thought given to healthy eating habits, food allergies, and convenience for parents. I appreciate your support as we create a healthy and welcoming environment for every student at Blue Sage.

If you walk to drop off or pick up your child please do not bring along your dog. We appreciate you being cognizant of those with allergies or fears. District Policy States: For safety purposes, pets are not allowed to be brought at the beginning or ending of the school day. Pets, even when on a leash, can become excited and frighten students.

Thanks for helping to keep our students safe.

Per EPS Board Policy 1006.07, District residents aged 65+ are eligible for a free activity pass which admits the holder to District-sponsored events and activities. Passes can be picked up at the EPS Central Office at 20650 Glenn St. during normal business hours. Individuals must provide a valid driver's license showing a current address of residence with EPS boundaries to receive a pass.

Please have an understanding with your child before he/she leaves home in the morning about what he/she is to do after school. It can be disruptive when classes are interrupted with the delivery of telephone messages or the need for them to call home to find out what is going on after school. We realize that there are times when the unexpected happens, and in those times, we will be happy to let your child know if your plans changed.

Parents wishing to confer with teachers are asked to call the school or email the teacher. If the teacher is unable to take your call, we are able to forward your call to his/her voicemail, so you can leave the teacher a message to return your call at his/her earliest convenience.

If wishing to meet in person with a teacher, please schedule an appointment in advance. Often, teachers feel bad when a parent arrives at school to confer with them and they cannot meet with that parent due to other demands and responsibilities. By scheduling an appointment, they will be prepared to meet with you to address your questions and/or concerns.

• If you are taking photos or video during school hours (including class trips and events), please note these are allowed for personal use only. Videos and images should not be shared in any form without appropriate consent from the student's parent/guardian. Obtaining consent is the sole responsibility of the person taking the photos and video.
• Elkhorn Public School is not responsible for obtaining consent for controlling how such images are shared.
• Please be respectful of all students and families in our school community by not taking or sharing photos or videos of students other than your own.

Make a difference with the Elkhorn Public Schools!

The Elkhorn Public School District is currently hiring teacher assistants for the 2024-2025 school year in our early education, elementary, and secondary settings. EPS is seeking caring and collaborative individuals with a desire to help students achieve.

• Family friendly hours – follows the school day and calendar

• Competitive pay Starting Wage: - General Elementary TA: $17.35/hour

• Rewarding working environment

Apply at Employment: Support Staff Non-Certified: Teacher Assistant

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about being an EPS teacher assistant this document, the TA Hiring Brochure, includes detailed information about the role. If you have any additional questions, please contact Britnie Cox, EPS Director of Personnel, at bcox@epsne.org or 402-289-2579.

• Visit the website TAGG.today from your phone.
• Save the website as a button (like an app) for future access and to stay logged in:
  • iPhone/iPad (Safari): Tap the Share icon (square with arrow in bottom center of screen) > Scroll down and select Add to Home Screen
  • Android device (Chrome): Tap menu icon (3 dots) > select Add to Home Screen
• Visit TAGG.today from the button you just created and click ‘Signup/Login’ in the upper right.
• Enter your mobile phone # then tap ‘Send’. TAGG will text you a code to enter for verification.
• Once logged in, tap ‘TAGGer####’ in the upper right to complete your profile.

Email: achrist@epsne.org (Amy Christ, Principal)
Website: https://www.elkhornweb.org/bluesage/
Location: 3600 South 215th Street, Elkhorn, NE, USA
Phone: 402-332-0125
Facebook: facebook.com/ElkhornPSBS/